Spatio-Temporal Transformation of Cropping Patterns in the Western Haryana Plains, India: A Five-Decade Analysis (1974-2022)

The increase in crop productivity resulting from the Green Revolution has had both positive and negative consequences for the natural environment, particularly with respect to water resources. Changes in cropping patterns have also increased the environmental risks associated with agricultural activities. The present study examines the long-term spatio-temporal changes in cropping patterns in the Western Haryana Plains of northern India during 1974 to 2022, with special emphasis on the expansion of wheat and paddy cultivation using geospatial data. Satellite data were used to analyse two major crops, wheat and paddy, grown during the rabi and kharif seasons, respectively. The expansion of irrigation facilities in the Western Haryana Plains has resulted in significant changes in crop distribution. The area under paddy increased from 0.74% in 1974 to 21.4% in 2022, while the area under wheat expanded from 9.5% to 55.1% of the total cultivable land during the same period. These changes in cropping patterns are largely attributable to improved irrigation infrastructure, which has facilitated the adoption of modern agricultural technologies. Furthermore, government policies introduced following the Green Revolution, aimed at achieving food security, have particularly promoted the cultivation of paddy and wheat. Consequently, large areas of land have been brought under the rice-wheat cropping system.